


Those Who Reach For The Moon

by AngelGrace



Category: Original Work
Genre: F/F, Original Fiction
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-05-25
Updated: 2020-05-25
Packaged: 2021-03-03 05:21:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,226
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24379390
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AngelGrace/pseuds/AngelGrace
Summary: The Kingdom of Aurian and the Sakana Empire have long had an unsteady peace. When Aurian, seeking to finally cast themselves from the shadow of the Empire, makes a bold move, countless lives are caught in the ensuing conflict. An Imperial Viceroy, trying to protect the honor of Sakana, and the Aurian girl she plucked from the battlefield, finding herself immersed in an alien culture. A general, determined to protect Auria at any cost, and the Engineer who must choose between fulfilling her dream and doing what's right. Two kingdoms, two homes, both unyielding in the pursuit of their ideals.





	Those Who Reach For The Moon

Awoken from her daze by a light ratting, Hanako shook herself a bit. She had been dozing, the trip having been quite dull over the past couple of hours. Stretching, she took a look out the back, then leaned over to look ahead. Two carts in the back of hers, two carts ahead. The first cart, she knew, was carrying the Commander of the Twelfth Outrider Division, along with his Lieutenant and a few ranking soldiers; the back one had a regimental commander and more soldiers. The contents of the middle three were, however, a complete mystery to her; even the cargo in the cart she was riding in was covered tightly.    
  
Not for the first time, she wondered how she had wound up on this convoy. She felt completely out of place, among these disciplined soldiers, and more than once, she had caught them glaring at her, heard little whispers about her...she’d be grateful when this trip was over. They must be near the Capital, right?    
  
“Enemy raiders!” the call came from up front, and Hanako gasped, suddenly pulling her head in as the soldiers checked their guns. “Looks like just a few-what in the hell?!”   
  
Over the panicked shouts, Hanako could hear a strange sound, almost like a low hum, getting closer, louder...her eyes widened as she felt a familiar sensation. “Listen! You-” the nearest soldier shushed her, and she shook her head, quickly digging in her bag. “You need to warn them! Someone’s casting-”   
  
Her fingers closed around a talisman in her bag...and then the explosion came, sending the entire wagon end over end…

* * *

  
  


_ “Now, be on your best behavior, Kitamura.”  _ _  
  
_

_ The towns mage, Krurick, handed over a letter, sealed with the Kingdom’s crest, and a small badge. “You’ve got talent, I won’t deny that, but without the teaching…” he shook his head, sighing. “If I could help you, I would, but teaching magic is forbidden. You need to go to the Academy, where they can train you up.” _ _  
_ _  
_ _ Hanako looked down at the badge with a heavy sigh. ‘Battle-Magic Division’. She knew the only way that her training could be funded was through the Army. She was grateful for the chance, but she knew there was so much more that could be done with magic. More than just the war with the Sakana Empire, more than just military might. There was something more to it… _

_ Trying to put that out of her head, she checked her bag. A couple of books she’d gotten from her mother, on history and and magic theory, her papers identifying her as a travelling citizen within the Kingdom and the small talisman. It had been a gift from her mother, handed down through the generations of the Kitamura family. Even untrained, she could feel a light thrum of magic from it; a protection charm. Not a powerful one, but enough to ward against misfortune. She had enough money to keep herself fed for a time once she arrived, but not for long, and it was still more than her family could spare. It was all quite expensive in the Capital, after all. _

_ “Remember.” Krurick interrupted her thoughts. “I pulled some serious strings to get you on this convoy. If I hadn’t, you’d be waiting another three, maybe four months, to get to the Capital. Don’t cause trouble.” _ _  
_ _  
_ _ Hanako smiled a bit, adjusting the cloak around her shoulders, and nodded. “I won’t.” she assured him, climbing aboard the cart under the watchful eye of a soldier. _

* * *

  
  


Her ears were ringing...it felt like the entire world was ringing. Hanako could feel the bag lying atop her, her fingers holding fast to the small charm...and pain. Pain, pretty much all over, but mostly in her free arm. She felt, more than heard, someone approaching her.

“...alive…” the voice cut in and out through the ringing, someone leaning over her. The light blocked out most of their features, but it looked like a woman...ears twitching the top of her head. She remained for a moment, before straightening up and speaking over her shoulder. “...the ship…” she shook her head. “I won’t…myself.”

A moment later, Hanako could feel her body being lifted carefully, the talisman slipping through her fingers as the bag slid off her chest.   
  
“Get that charm, and her bag.” the voice was getting clearer, authoritative. “Bring them with us. That bag should tell us a little more about who she is, and besides…” a soft chuckle. “It would be mean to just leave them.” she was hefted a bit, the woman looking down at her. Her eyes were a rich crimson, and her hair, a raven black, the same color as the pointed ears on her head. “Yo-you’re a ki-” Hanako murmured, and the woman shook her head.   
  
“Don’t try to speak. You’re lucky to be alive.” she looked up again. “Any luck?” a distant, muffled voice, and she sighed. “I doubt this one.” she nodded at Hanako “Has any idea; she’s not dressed in a military uniform.” the voice responded, and her expression darkened “Because I’m not heartless! It would take Aurian troops way too long to retrieve her.”   


The woman carrying Hanako turned, starting to walk. “I’m afraid you’re coming with me, little one. You had a stroke of good fortune, surviving that bombing…” she stepped up slightly, into what appeared to be the hull of a ship. A ship, miles from water? “...but your luck ends there.”   
  
“Wh-wha, who…” Hanako murmured, as her vision started to blur. She put a hand to her head, then pulled it away, damp with sticky blood. A few more footsteps approached, and then a metallic clang.   
  
“Shh, shhhhh. Sleep, little one. Sleep, and recover…” the woman said soothingly.

As Hanako’s eyes closed, she heard the strange humming again, from all around her, and a strange feeling of being lifted…

* * *

  
  


Slowly, Hanako stirred, the ringing having disappeared, and even the pain less severe than it had been before. Sitting up, she looked down, examining herself. Her clothing had been changed to a simple white gown, and bandages were wrapped around every part of her body, but most of them were on her arm, holding it in place. The wrappings were tight enough she couldn’t move it much, and any attempt to do so sent pain shooting up her arm. Probably broken. At least, whoever had done this had done a good job.   
  
Her self-examination completed, she turned to her surroundings. She was laying on a mat on the floor, covered by a light blanket, and the walls were of an unfamiliar design to her. The hangings, though...she knew them…

“Ah, ah, ah, be careful!” a young woman in a red, robe like outfit rushed over. “You’ll open your wounds. You were pretty beat up when you were brought in.”   
  
Looking up at the woman properly, Hanako’s breath caught. Red eyes, and atop blonde hair, ears flicking in concern.    
  
“Kitsune...then this is…” she murmured, trying to pull herself straighter. The kitsune put her hands on Hanako’s shoulders, holding her in place.

“Yes, yes. The Sakana Empire. You’re in an Imperial Fortress. Don’t move so much!” she insisted. “Even if I wanted to kill you, you were doing a perfectly fine job of dying on your own.” she sighed, lifting her hands carefully. “I’m a doctor. You’re safe here.” she looked away from Hanako for just a moment. “Please inform the Viceroy her...guest is awake.

It was far, far too hard for Hanako to remain seated even as much as she was. She slowly laid back, letting out a slow breath. “What happened…?” she asked. She remembered the convoy, and the explosion...they’d been attacked by Sakana…?   
  
The doctor sighed, brushing her hair back, and subsequently pressing down her ears. “The Imperial Army doesn’t exactly fill me in on all their maneuvers. What I was told was you were the survivor of an attack by one of our Aerial wings. You’re extremely fortunate; the Aerial divisions tend to be swift and decisive.”   
  
The airships. That’s what had attacked them. Sakana relied a lot on their airships, vessels that moved through the sky with a mysterious magic. Hanako had never seen an airship, though; they tended to remain in Imperial Territory. One so close to-   
  
“Thank you, Irisa.” The door opened, and another kitsune entered, wearing far more ornate robes. “Would you please pardon me? I need to have a discussion with Hanako, and I wouldn’t want her to feel overwhelmed.” the kitsune moved closer, and Hanako realized it was the very same one who had rescued her from the convoy.   
  
The doctor bowed. “Yes, Viceroy. Please make sure she doesn’t move overmuch. I’ve dressed her wounds as best I can, but they’ll need time to heal properly.” she turned to Hanako. “You understand? If you try to move too much, you’ll hurt yourself more.”   
  
Mutely, Hanako nodded, and the doctor stepped away, out the door. The kitsune approached Hanako’s side, looking down at her. “I’ll start with the bare essentials. My name is Viceroy Ishimoto Tsukiko; I’ve been assigned to oversee this area. A few hours ago, while you were sleeping…” Ishimoto paused “...the Sakana Empire formally declared war on the Kingdom of Auria. The Empire has already captured several border outposts, and we expect open battle to begin shortly.”   
  
Forgetting her wounds for a moment, Hanako tried to sit up, cried out in pain, and laid back again. “W-war? Why? I know there’s been skirmishes, but…” she shook her head.   
  
Taking a seat in a nearby chair, Viceroy Ishimoto fixed Hanako with a stare. “It was my intention to ask you some questions related to that, but…” she picked up some papers...Hanako’s papers. “Kitamura Hanako. You’re just barely enrolled in the Aurian Battle-Mage program. While in terms of war, that makes you an enemy combatant, if barely; in reality, you’re a civilian. Why were you in a military convoy?”

“The convoy…? It was going to the capital, and I was given passage so I could...why…?”   
  
“Do you have any information on what else was being transported? You weren’t on the manifest, and that makes me wonder what else wasn’t.”

Shaking her head, Hanako looked up at the ceiling. “I have no idea, and even if I did...why would I tell a Sakana Viceroy? Especially if we are at war now.”   
  
“Because you’re not a soldier.” the response came, simple and flat. “You’re innocent in all of this.” the Viceroy shifted some papers around, and picked something up off the desk. Standing again, she walked over, handing Hanako back her charm. “There’s nothing you can tell me about the convoy you were riding with?”

Again, Hanako shook her head, though with a little less intensity. Her fingers closed around the charm, and the Viceroy stepped back.

“Very well. Now, my advisors tell me I shouldn’t reveal too much, but you deserve to know a few things. Mainly, with this declaration of war, the area I governed is moving to military control. Once the war is over, the territorial lines will be redrawn, but for now, I’m being recalled to the Capital.” Hanako nodded along, wondering why she was sharing this with her. “You, also, are going to be moved to the Capital.”

“What?! Why?” Hanako cried out, then winced, holding her chest with her good hand.

The Viceroy waited until she had recovered, then went on. “You’re my charge now. I made the decision to rescue you from the wreckage, hoping you would have some information. More importantly, though..you were on the verge of death. You’re not far, still.” she motioned at the bandages. “I have some sway in what happens to you... _ as long as you cooperate with us.”  _ she stressed the final words. “Be helpful and obedient, and you’ll remain comfortable. Resist, and you’ll be treated as an enemy combatant.”

The words hung in the air, and Hanako closed her eyes. She didn’t even want to join the Battle-Mage program, and now it was hurting her. “I suppose I don’t have much of a choice, Viceroy. It’s not as if I can go anywhere like this…”

A soft chuckle could be heard, and the footsteps of the Viceroy retreated a bit. “I’m postponing the extraction of myself and my guard until you can be safely moved, Hanako, but I’m being urged to get underway as soon as possible. We’re expecting the retribution from Auria to be powerful. And…” another pause “If you can tell me anything about what was on that convoy, it would be immensely helpful to me.”   
  
Opening her eyes a bit, Hanako turned her head to look at Viceroy Ishimoto. “Why does it matter so much to you?” she asked, shaking her head. “It was just a convoy from an outlying town towards the capital. I didn’t even see anything that looked like a weapon.”

  
Studying Hanako for a moment, the Viceroy responded. “That convoy is the reason why the Empire declared war. There were a few incidents, to be sure, but the convoy was the spark. They were transporting something, and we need to find it.”   
  
Nodding with a sigh, Hanako closed her eyes again. What could be so important that the Empire was willing to go to open war to find it?

**Author's Note:**

> I hope you enjoyed! I'll do my best to keep this updated, but I'm known for my long gaps in writing, sorry ^^;


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